1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical distribution loadcenter and, more specifically, to a modular bus assembly for a loadcenter having at least one lateral bus member.
2. Background Information
Electrical distribution loadcenters, typically, have multiple elongated, primary bus members extending through a housing. The primary bus members are coupled, typically via a primary circuit breaker, to a power source. The loadcenter also includes a plurality of secondary circuit breakers, or other electrical components, disposed on either, or both, sides of the primary bus members. To couple a primary bus member to a secondary circuit breaker, the loadcenter utilizes a bus assembly. The bus assembly includes a non-conductive bus support assembly and at least one lateral bus member. The bus assembly was, typically, attached to the loadcenter by one or more fasteners.
A typical prior art bus support assembly included a planar member that would extend across the primary bus members. An opening was provided in the planar member. A conductive spacer would be disposed in the planar member opening and placed in electrical communication with a primary bus member. An elongated lateral bus member was then coupled to the spacer and structured to extend generally perpendicular to the axis of the primary bus member. That is, the lateral bus member extended toward the secondary circuit breakers disposed on either, or both, sides of the primary bus members. The lateral bus member was then electrically coupled to the secondary circuit breakers.
Further, when a loadcenter incorporated multiple primary buses, the bus assembly had an equal number of lateral bus members. A common configuration had three primary buses and three lateral bus members. The three primary buses were, typically, disposed in a parallel manner. Thus, assuming the primary buses extended vertically, the lateral bus members were configured to be coupled to the left primary bus, the middle primary bus, or the right primary bus. That is, the lateral bus member had a specific configuration depending upon which primary bus the lateral bus member was to be coupled. Thus, three different types of lateral bus members had to be manufactured.
This type of bus assembly has several disadvantages. For example, the cost of manufacturing three different types of lateral bus members, as well as the labor in sorting and installing the three different types of lateral bus members made bus assemblies more expensive than necessary. Further, the prior art bus assembly included additional components, such as the spacers, that had to be installed. There is, therefore, a need for a bus assembly having a single type of lateral bus member that may be coupled to different primary buses. There is a further need for a bus assembly that does not require the use of a spacer between the primary bus and the lateral bus member. There is a further need for a bus assembly having a clip device structured to couple the bus assembly to the loadcenter.